A place for families

Un-spooky fun for little ones

The ghosts and monsters come out to play when Halloween draws near. But the littlest goblins are too afraid to uncover their eyes when things get a bit too creepy. Here are a few un-spooky, family-friendly events happening this week.

This weekend marks the annual Zombie Walk for all three local Copperfield’s bookstores. While this might appear to be a spooky start to an un-spooky list, many kids find it entertaining to dress the part of the undead and lumber through town. Plus, the event takes place in broad daylight, ending at a Zombie Party at the bookstore. To join in on the festivities, show up at the bookstore dressed in your worst attire, then drag your heels with the crowd. Montgomery Village, Saturday at 10 a.m.; Petaluma, Saturday at 2 p.m.; and Sebastopol, Sunday at 11 a.m. Find out all the details at copperfieldsbooks.com.

Montgomery Village will be full of treats for costumed kids on Saturday, Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Check out the pumpkin art by master pumpkin carver, Shawn Feeney. Visit the Pumpkin Fairy Godmother. And take part in free crafts and airbrush face painting. More information can be found at www.mvshops.com.

In Petaluma, hang out at Plaza North Shopping Center on Saturday, Oct. 26 for the annual Bill Soberanes Halloween Festival. The merchants of Plaza North and South will be passing out treats…no trick! The event takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and is a highly popular festival for kids of all ages. Plus, there’s a costume donation area for those who still need costumes. Check out more information at www.theplazanorth.com.

Also on Saturday is the Halloween at Howarth celebration. Kids are invited to come in costume and gather up treats around the park. A $6 pass gives your child trick-or-treating privileges, and a train and carousel ride. A $10 pass gives you all that, plus a pony ride and ice cream treat. The event is in two shifts – 11:30 a.m to 1 p.m., or 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Find out more at srcity.org.

Tara Firma Farms holding their annual Pumpkin on Pikes event this Saturday, and the party has already been sold out. Lucky ticket holders will be treated to a day of pumpkin carvings, live music, and so much more. Then at night, the pumpkins are lit up on pikes all around the farm. creating an unforgettable view of the glowing cornfield. The event starts at 2 p.m. More information at tarafirmafarms.com/pumpkins-on-pikes.

From 4-7 p.m. Saturday, the Sonoma County YMCA is hosting their annual Halloween Carnival. Kids can partake in carnival games, face painting, jump houses, DJ music, a haunted house, and much more! Come in costume for a really fun time. $5 for kids 2 and up, adults are free. More information at www.scfymca.org.

On Tuesday, Oct. 29, UFOJim, also known as Jim Ledwith, will give an in-depth discussion on the complexities of crop circles. The Ufologist has been researching UFOs and E.T.s for 45 years, and will share photos, as well as his research on how crop circles are formed. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for kids ages 8-17. It will be held at the Sonoma Community Center at 276 E. Napa St. in Sonoma. To learn more, visit ufosrreal.com or sonomacommunitycenter.org.

Finally, on Halloween you can wrap up your un-spooky fun by embarking on a trip down the Trick-or-Treat Trail. The Downtown Merchants of Petaluma have created a festive crawl through the stores, handing out treats to costumed kids under 12. Just look for the black and orange balloons for participating stores. It takes place from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Visit petalumadowntown.com/halloween.html to get all the details, and to download a map of the trail.

About this blog

There’s an old African proverb that states “It takes a village to raise a child”, and these days that proverb has never been more true. Whether we’re related by blood or by intention, families come in all forms, and are only defined by the bonds of love.

This blog, which was started by author Crissi Langwell, continues forward with new voices including Stephanie Ansley (a new mom facing the joys of first-time parenthood), as well as Paul Gullixson (a parent and coach of a team of 12-year-olds) and Meg McConahey (a mom with enough experience to have some good laughs about the whole thing).

We welcome all kinds of voices, and you may see some additional viewpoints from other Press Democrat writers and local contributors. Because it truly does take a village.